Drip tray for toilet tank



Jan. 19, 1960 s, KNELA 2,921,319

DRIP TRAY FOR TOILET TANK Filed Aug. 6, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig- 7STan/ey E. Kive/a INVENTOR.

Jan. 19, 1960 s. E. KIVELA DRIP TRAY FOR TOILET TANK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Aug. 6, 1957 INVEN TOR Stanley E. K Ive/a States Patent Ofiice2,921,319 Patented Jan. 19, 1960 DRIP TRAY FOR TOILET TANK Stanley E.Kivela, Fond du Lac, Wis.

Application August 6, 1957, Serial No. 676,596

9 Claims. (Cl. 4-10) This invention relates to a drip tray for a watercloset tank and more particularly to a tray which collects the liquidcondensate from a water closet tank and returns it to the overflow tubeof the toilet or flush tank mechamsm.

Water condenses on the exterior of water closet tanks and causes anappreciable problem in that the condensate drips on the floor. An objectof this invention is to provide a tray for the collection of suchcondensate and to have means connected with the tray that operateantomatically for the emptying of the tray. This automatic operationtakes place each time that the toilet flush mechanism is operated, atwhich the refill water, either passing through the refill tube orpassing through the supply pipe into the toilet tank, provides themotive force for drawing the condensate from the tray into the toiletflush tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for atoilet flush tank which has a tray conforming generally to the shape ofthe toilet and flush tank,

and which has a novel configuration providing a sump for the collectionof water that is subsequently discharged into the flush tank, and havinga handy and easily operated structure for clamping the tray onto thetoilet flush tank.

Other objects and features of importance such as mechanical simplicityand commercial practicability of the invention, will become apparent infollowing the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a standard toilet and flush tank, theflush tank provided with an attachment constructed in accordance withthe invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tray in addition to a part of theclamping means to hold the tray mounted beneath the flush tank of Figure1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a part of the flushmechanism in the flush tank and showing the aspirator for drawing liquidcondensate from the tray of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an aspirator used inconnection with and constituting a part of the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the clamps of the invention;

Figure 8 is another clamp;

Figure 9 is an additional clamp;

Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of another aspirator whichcan be used in place of the aspirator of Figure 6, Figure 10 and Figure6 illustrating that various changes may be made in the structure withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view of a modification of the clamp in Figure9.

In the accompanying drawings there is an ordinary toilet bowl 10 andflush tank 12. These are operatively connected in the usual manner andrepresent either the unit closet where the toilet has the tank mountedon the bowl or the separate bowl and tank assembly. Flush mechanism 14is in the flush tank and among the other structures of mechanism 14 arewater supply pipe 16, tank supply pipe 18 which extends from the valveof mechanism 14, and the bowl refill water supply pipe 20 directed intothe overflow tube 22. Pipe 16 is the water inflow conductor for thevalve, while pipes 18 and 20 are water outflow conductors for thesame'valve. The

normal operation of the flush mechanism 14 is unaltered by the presenceof the invention.

Tray- 24 is shown as a one-piece plastic construction, although othermaterials of construction may be adopted.

For example, enameled aluminum, stainless steel or chrome plated metalwould make an excellent choice of materials for hospital use. Tray 24has a bottom 26 formed with upwardly opening channels 28 leading to andtapering downward toward sump 30 that is formed by a pocket 32 in therear center part of the tray 24. An upstanding side wall 34 extendscompletely around the edge of the bottom 26 and is used for retainingcertain clamps and brackets enabling a quick attachment anddisconnection of the tray to the flush tank .12.

There are various models of toilet bowls and tanks and therefore, theshape and size of tray 24 will vary to conform to the various sizes andstyles as well as manufacturers make of plumbing fixture. Or, the traymay be made of an average composite shape to fit all popular 'fixtures.In the illustrated form of the invention there is a forwardly openingrecess'38 at the front center of the tray to accommodate the rearprotrusion of toilet .bowl 10. The recessed part of the tray may have aspecial brace (not shown) beneath it and resting on the fixture,

but this is an optional feature. There is a rearwardly opening recess 40constructed like the recess 38 but of a different size and in order toaccommodate the water supply pipe 42 that depends from the bottom of theparticular make of fiush tank 12 that isshown in the drawing. Eachrecess is formed by having a part of the side Wall 34 shaped to form it.

Tray 24 is held in place on theflush by two clamps 44 and 46, eachidentical inv construction (Figure 7 or 11). The clamp 44 is made of anelongate flat strip that has a downwardly opening hook 48 at its upperend to engage over the upper edge of the tank 12 beneath its cover 13.An angular offset 50 is formed near the lower end of the elongated strip47 of clamp 44 and cooperates with the lateral leg 52 that isatapproximate right angles to the elongate strip 47 in order to form aseat within which the tray 24 is accommodated. The offset 50 forms. aspring latch for the rearpart of the side Wall of tray 24,

and it also carries condensate down the strip into the tray..

For greater strength, loop 51 (Figure 11) may be formed at the junctionof strip 47 and leg 52. The front part of the tray is gripped by thedownwardly opening hook I 54 on the short upstanding leg 58 at the outerextremity of leg 52. Leg 52 is arranged to extend transversely beneaththe bottom 26 of the tray (Figure 2) and the;

clamp 46 engages'the tray in an identical manner but near the oppositeend of the tray. v

Clamp 60 (Figure 8) consists of a flat strip with two U-shaped reversebends 61 and 62 forming a down- I wardly opening pocket withinwhich theside wall 34' fitted (Figure 2). The upstanding part of the clamp. 60contacts a small area of the front surface of flush tank 12,

and helps to keep the flush tank fastened firmly in place, and centered.

Clamp 66 is made very similar to clamp 60 involving two reverse bends 67and 68. The downwardly open-- ing pocket formed by reverse bend 68 isfitted over the back center part of the side wall 34, while the oppositeend of the clamp 66 protrudes laterally as a flat car 70 in which thereis a hole 71. Flexible tubing 72 extends through the hole 71 and isattached to an opening at the bottom of sump 32 to conduct water fromthe sump and into the flush tank 12 Therefore the tube 72 extends intothe Hush tank and for this purpose there may be a notch 74 formed in theupper edge of the tank and below its cover 13. The end of tube 72 isoperatively connected with an aspirator 76 or an aspirator 78, eitherbeingoperable to serve the intended function of drawing a vacuum in tube72 which will withdraw all the water from sump 30 and elevate it fordeposit into. the flush tank 12. Aspirator 76 is made of a body 79. Thebody has a venturi 80 within which the short length of tubing 81proceeds. The nozzle 82 at the end of tubing 81 faces the direction, oftravel of, Water through venturi 80, and the opposite end of the tubing81 provides a part of a coupling by which to. connect the tubing 72 'As'shown in Figure 5 aspirator 76 is interposed in the line 20 extendingfrom the valve and. discharging into the tube 22. Therefore the ends of;the body 79 are shaped to receive and hold the spaced confronting endsof the parts of the line 20. It is to be understood that the aspiratorneed not be in line 20 but maybe in line, 18 or some other waterconducting line.

Reference to Figure shows that aspirator 78. is constructed somewhat inthe same manner as the. aspirator of Figure 6. However, body 88 ofaspirator. 78 is formed with a more sophisticated venturi 90,, which ismore effective. Here too, the aspirator may be interposed in line orsome other water conductor.

In operation, every time that the flush tank mechanism is operated,there is a corresponding operation of the means for withdrawing waterfrom the tray 24. This is accomplishedby the water rushing through theventuri 80 or the venturi 90 and drawing a vacuum throughtube 721 whichis connected as described, namely, to the sump 3 Tray 26 is constructedin a manner to be reasonably unobtrusive when applied to a toilet flushtank but yet, in a manner that it is capable of collecting all of themoisture which drips fromthe flush tank 12, particularly in, the summermonths. After collecting, the moisture will flow toward thelower area ofthe tray 24, namely sump 30.

It is understood that various changes may be made in the inventionwithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

What isclaimed as new is as follows:

1. An attachment for the flush tank of a toilet assembly having a waterinflow valve, an inflow water conductor connected. to the valve, and anoutflow conductor connected to the valve, said attachment comprising atray located beneath said flush tank and extending at least to the outerlower edges of the tank, clamps attached to said tray and having meansby which to hook over the upper edge of the flush tank, said tray havinga sump within which to accumulate liquid condensate that drips from thetoilet flush tank, a tube connected at one end to said sump, anaspirator operatively connected with said outflow conductor and operatedby the water passing through the outflow conductor, said aspiratorhaving a venturi, and means connecting the opposite end of said tubewith said venturi todraw a vacuum in said tube and sump from saidventuri.

2. The attachment of claim 1 wherein said tray has a bottom, a pocket insaid bottom and constituting said sump, a side wall. extending aroundand rising upwardly fromthe outer edges; of said bottom of said traybottom, said clamps. including strips, legs. protruding from said stripsat approximately right angles to the strips and underlying the traybottom, and means at the ends of tray a'fixed position.

3. The attachment of claim 2 wherein there are additional clamps on theside wall of said tray and contacting a surface of the tank to furtherhold the tray steady in a fixed position beneath the tank.

4. In a toilet flush tank which is subject to accumulation of watercondensate and which has water inflow means connected therewith, saidinflow means including a valve and an outflow conductor connected withthe valve, a condensate collection attachment comprising a tray having abottom and a wall along the edge thereof, a sump in said bottom, a tubeconnected to said sump to withdraw liquid from said sump, and meansconnected with said outflow conductor and responsive to the passing ofwater therethrough for applying a suction to said tube and therebywithdrawing liquid from said sump.

5. In a toilet flush tank which is subject to accumulation of watercondensate and which has a water inflow valve connected therewithtogether with a water outflow conductor attached to the valve, acondensate collection attachment comprising a tray which has a bottomand a wall along the outer edges thereof, a sump in said bottom, a tube,connected to said sump to withdraw liquid from said sump, meansoperatively connected with said outflow conductor and responsive to thepassing of water therethrough for applying suction to said tube andthereby withdrawing liquid from said sump, said suction applying meansincluding an aspirator which is operatively connected with said outflowconductor, and means for holding the tray beneath the flush tank.

6. The attachment of claim 5 wherein said means for holding the traybeneath the flush tank include at least one clamp attached to said tray,and said tray having a recess therein by which to accommodate andconform to a part of the flush tank assembly.

7. A new article of manufacture comprising an attachment for a flushtank to collect condensate which drips from the tank and wherein thetank has a water inflow pipe, a valve connected with the water inflowpipe, and a valve outflow pipe connected with the valve, said attachmentincluding a tray having a bottom and a side wall rising upwardly from,said bottom, a sump in said tray and within which to accumulate liquidcondensate from the tank and which falls into saidtray, a tube extendingfrom said sump and communicating with the interior of said sump, meansresponsive to the flowing of water through said valve outflow pipe forwithdrawing the liquid from the sump to said tube, and clamp meansattached to said tray and adapted to connect with said tank for holdingsaid tray in position beneath the tank.

8. A new article of manufacture comprising an attachment for a flushtank to collect condensate which drips from the tank and wherein. thetank has a water inflow pipe, a valve connected with thewater inflowpipe, and a valve outflow pipe connected: withthe valve, said attachmentincluding a tray having a bottom. and a side wall rising upwardly fromsaid bottom, a sump in said tray and within which to accumulate liquidcondensate from the tank and which falls into said tray, a tubeextending from said sump and communicating with the interior of saidsump, means responsive to the flowing of water through said valveoutflow pipe for withdrawing the liquid from the sump to said tube,clamp meansattached to said tray and adapted to connect with said tankfor holding said tray in position beneath thetank, said clamp meansincluding a plurality of clamps, a first of said: clamps attached to theupper edge of the tank and fitting in part beneath the tray, and asecond of'said clamps attached to said tray and operatively connectedwith another part of the flush tank.

9. In combination; a water inflow valve having a valve outflow pipe, atoilet flush tank serviced by said pipe, a drip tray having an openingin the bottom thereof and a condensate water conductor attached inregistry with said opening, means mounting said tray beneath said tankto collect the moisture condensate which accumulates on and drops fromthe exterior of said tank, an aspirator connected with said valveoutflow pipe on the downstream side of said valve and connected withsaid conductor for drawing a vacuum in said conductor in response to theflow of water through said valve outflow pipe and thereby Withdrawingthe accumulated liquid from said tray.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS818,940 Davis Apr. 24, 1906 6 Bailey Nov. 23, 1909 Glauber Dec. 27, 1927Forrest May 19, 1931 Curtis Oct. 31, 1933 Bautz Aug. 13, 1940 BodanSept. 14, 1948 Peterson July 31, 1951 Rubner Nov. 13, 1951 Matthews July14, 1953

